Camper&#39;s folding bed



Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

SIGFRID A. MILLER, 0F OA'KLAND, CALIFORNIApASSIGNOR TO MILLER AUTO BEDAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OFCALIFORNIA.

CAMIPERlS VFOLDIN'G- BED.

Application filed J'anuaryy24, 1924. Serial No. y688,121.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIGFRID A. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oakland, county of Alameda, and State Vof California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Campers Folding Beds, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a campers folding bed, and especially to anvattachment whereby the mattress fabric orv support may be placed underproper tension when the bed is unfolded.

N umerous folding beds and cots have been devised for campers use andotherwise, but the majority are not as comfortable to lie on as theymight be, due to the fact that it is almost impossible to properlytension the mattress supporting canvas or fabric.

The camperls folding bed constructed by me, and employing a chain fabricproved impracticable and uncomfortable in actual use as the fabricsagged excessively. I accordingly devised an anxiliary stretching ortensioning device, Whereby an additional pull or stretch could beimparted to the fabric after the bed was unfolded, and thereby obtainedthe proper tension. This auxiliary tensioning device forms the subjectmatter of the present application and is described in detail in theaccompanying specification and drawings, in whichy i Fig. l is aperspective view of a folding bed showing'the application oftheinvention.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the auxiliary tensioningdevice.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the sliding joint formedbetween the side rails and the foot rail of the bed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. l and 2,A indicates, in general, a steel-bed frame consisting of side bars B, ahead rail 3, and a footrail 4. Supporting the bed frame are a pluralityof folding legs as indicated at 5, and sup-V ported-by the bed frameproper is a bed spring fabric 6, Which is attached to-the head and footrails by means of intermediate helical springs 7 and 8.

The fabric employed in the present invoccupy as small a space aspossible.

stance is constructed of longitudinally extending chains 9 and crosschains 10, the chains 9 and 10 being interlocked, the detail ofconstruction of the chains and the method ofinterlocking the same beingdescribed in my copending application previously referred to. i

The bed here illustrated is of the folding type and is particularlyintended for campers, use. The side rails consist of two sections suchas indicated at ll and 12. These sections are centrally and pivotallyconnected as at 13 to permit them to be folded to The supporting legs 5are similarly pivotally connected as at 14 to the head and foot railsrespectively and they may, therefore, be folded with relation thereto.The supporting legs are otherwise provided with angularly disposedcorner braces as indicated at 15a and these are also` pivotallysecuredto permit them to be folded with relation to the bed frame. i

The side rails are removable 'with relation to the foot and head railslrespectively, so that they may be detached therefrom when the bed isfolded and a sliding connection is formed between the side rails and thefoot and head rails respectively, to permit additional tension to beimp'arted to the fabric (iafter the bed has been unfolded.

The sliding connection between the side rails and the foot and headrails, respectively, is substantially identical and is perhaps bestillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted` that the foot rail et isprovided witha rightangular end extension AP, which is provided for thereception of the end of the side rail ll. The foot rail, and similarlythe side rail, is constructed of angle iron. The upper surface of theextension eta is slotted as at l and the side of the side rail issimilarly slotted as at 16. The upper section of the side rail isprovided with a pin 17, which is adapted to be received by the slot 15,and the inner side of the angle iron forming the extension au isprovided with. a pin 18, Which is adapted to be received by the slot 16.Therefore, when assembling the bed it is only necessary to insert theside rails and the extensions ata so that the pins 17 and 18 arereceived by the slots 15 and 16, and as the pins are headed as shown itwill be seen that an interlock is formed and also, that the connectionis longitudinally adjustable.

The bed When unfolded is assembled in the manner just described; thatis, the side rails are inserted in the extensions 4? of the foot andhead rails, respectively, and the side rails are then straightened outby swinging then downwardly about the pivotal connections 13. Thisstraightening out of the side rails imparts a preliminary tension to thebed fabric, but this, as previously stated, is not sufficient.- toproperly support a person when lying thereon. To nnpart additionaltension, endwise movenent is imparted to the foot rail l. This movementis inparted by a toggle link arrangement, generally indicated at C inFigs. 1 and 2, and the side braces indicated at 15') form a part of thetoggle link structure. (See Fig. 2.)

An outwardly projecting pin 19 is secured in the outer face of each endextension eP, and this is adapted to be engaged by a toggle link 20,which is pivotally secured to the side brace lb as indicated at 21. Theouter end of the toggle link is slotted as at 22 to straddle the pin 19and when the side brace lb is pulled in the direction of arrow `a., thetoggle link is straightencd and the foot rail 41 is forced outwardly onthe side rails 11. The pins 17 and 18, together with the slots 15 and16, permit such movement and danger of pulling the pins coinpletely outof the slots is avoided by properly proportioning the length of thetoggle link 20 and the operating lever or side brace 151,; that is, thetoggle movement imparted is such that the pins 17 and 18 will not moveout of engagement with the slots, but will assume the position shown inFig. 1 when the extending movement has been conipleted. The side braces15b are here locked as the lower ends are slotted as indicated at 23.The slotted ends are hooked over pro'- jecting pins 24 secured on thelegs 5, and the side braces are thus locked when the spring fabric hasbeen extended.

Actual experience shows that the additional movement inparted to thefoot rail is just sufficient to impart the proper tension required, andthe bed is thus comfortable to lie on, Whether it be enployed foi'camping or otherwise.

ln the present instance I have only shown the auxiliary tensioningdevice as applied to the foot rail, but it is obvious that it may beattached to the head rail also if desired as the interlocking slidingconnection between the head rail and the side rails is identical to theconnection formed between the foot rail and the side rails. Theauxiliary tensioning device is exceedingly cheap to manufacture, andsimple and easy to operate, and as such does not inpose an excess costto the bed.

VVhile the tensioning device has here been shown as applied to a foldingbed, it is obvious that it may also be used in connection With a rigidframe bed if desired. I sinilarly wish it understood that variouschanges in form and proportion may be resorted to Within the scope ofthe appended claims, and that the materials and finish of the severalparts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of themanufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- 1. In a bed of the character described, a bed framecomprising side and end rails, a sliding interlocking connection formedbetween one end rail and the side rails, a mattress supporting fabricsecured between the head rails, folding legs secured to the bed frameand adapted to support the same. a lever pivotally nounted on each sideof the bed frame adjacent the sliding interlocking end rail, wherebysaid end rail is moved longitudinally on the side rails to stretch themattress support-ing fabric, and. means whereby said lever may besecured to the folding legs to serve as braces therefor and to securethe end rails against movement When the mattress supporting fabric isstretched.

2. In a bed of the character described, a bed frame comprising side andend rails, a sliding interlocking connection formed between one end railand the side rails, a inattress supporting fabric secured between theend rails, a pair of toggle links connecting the side rails and theslidable intel-kicking end rail, folding legs supporting the bed frame,a pair of levers for imparting move ment to the toggle links to move theend rail longitudinally of the side rails, and means whereby said leversmay be secured to the folding legs to serve as braces therefor and tosecure the toggle links and end railsl against movement.

3. In a bed of the character described, a bed frame comprising side andend rails, a. sliding interlocking connection formed betWeen one endrail and the side rails. a inattress supporting fabric secured betweenthe end rails, a pair of folding legs mounted on the bed frame andadapted to support the same, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on theside rails adjacent the sliding interlocking end rails, a pair of togglelinks pivotally connected, one to each lever, said toggle links havingfork-shaped members formed on their opposite ends, a pair of pins, oneat each end of the sliding interlocking rail, said pins adapted to beengaged by the 5 fork-shaped ends of the toggle links, and

said levers adapted to impart movement to the toggle links and thesliding end rail to move the same longitudinally on the side rails so asto stretch the spring fabric, and means Whereby said levers may besecured to the folding legs to serve as braces therefor and to lock thetoggle links and the sliding end rail when the nattress fabric isst'etched.

SIGFRID A.V MILLER.

